Boehner on Worst Economy Since Celeste

Statement:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) issued the following statement today regarding Ohio’s unemployment rate going above 10 percent for the first time since December 1983:

“With more than half a million Ohioans out of work and the rest of our nation struggling to pull itself out of this recession, it is disappointing that some in Washington insist on pursuing policies that could send much-needed jobs overseas. For the first time since 1983, Ohio’s unemployment rate has surpassed 10 percent and there’s no light at the end of the tunnel. Automobile dealerships are closing across the state yet the Administration announced new fuel standards that could make it difficult for American automakers to recover. The coal industry is critical to Ohio’s economic well being yet the Administration has created a massive national energy tax that could bankrupt coal while raising electric rates on hard-working families. And this national energy tax will be a costly burden on our state’s family farmers, who already are struggling to stay ahead during this economic crisis.

“House Republicans have better solutions that do not include increasing the size and scope of the government yet Washington refuses to work in a bipartisan manner to solve our economic challenges. We offered an alternative stimulus bill that would have created 246,000 jobs in Ohio by the end of 2010 at half the cost of the Democrats’ government-spending bill. We offered a budget alternative that would have curbed spending, created jobs by cutting taxes and controlled the debt. And we proposed legislation to help Americans’ rebuild their personal, retirement and college savings that have been decimated over the past year. It’s for the Administration and Congress to put aside partisan schemes that raise taxes and make economic recovery impossible and begin working toward solutions that will help put our families back to work and help small businesses create jobs.”